This apple and chestnut cake with a crunchy walnut topping is perfect for enjoying with your afternoon tea or coffee. It's packed with sweet chestnuts and fresh apples and covered with a crunchy cinnamon sugar and walnut topping. It's moist, lightly spiced and perfect for sharing with friends and family.
I'm a great lover of chestnuts, and as soon as they hit the shops in early winter, I always roast a batch chestnuts to enjoy warm - it's one of my favourite seasonal rituals. So you can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon pouches of ready-cooked chestnuts in my local supermarket. No peeling, no mess - just ready to use!
Although I've never actually made or eaten a cake with chestnuts in it before, I knew I wanted to do something special with this unexpected bounty of chestnuts. I decided to pair the chestnuts with apples, and I created this simple rustic apple and chestnut cake. I flavoured the batter with cinnamon and vanilla, and for a little extra oomph, I added a crunchy topping made with a mixture of chopped walnuts, brown sugar and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon.
To say I was delighted with the result is a bit of an understatement. This apple and chestnut cake is a beautiful mix of flavours. The chestnuts add a subtle creamy richness while the chopped apple softens into juicy pockets of fruit throughout the cake. The walnut topping bakes into a golden, crunchy crust that contrasts perfectly with the soft, moist texture of the cake.
This apple and chestnut cake isn't a light, fluffy sponge; it has a denser texture, similar to a banana bread or carrot cake. The structure is firm enough to hold the apples and chestnuts perfectly in place, providing a flavour-burst of apples and chestnuts in every bite.
I've made other cakes with apples and nuts before (like this apple and pecan nut loaf, for instance), but in my opinion, this cake can hold its own with the best! If you're a fan of chestnuts or just looking for a unique twist on a fruit and nut cake, I hope you give this one a try.
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Why you should try this cake
- It's packed with seasonal flavour - apples and chestnuts are normally autumnal or early winter flavours, but with pouches of ready-cooked chestnuts available throughout the year, you can enjoy this moist apple cake with chestnut any time.
- Perfect balance of textures - soft cake, juicy apples, creamy chestnuts, crunchy walnuts = win/win!
- Not too sweet - there's just enough sugar in the cake to sweeten it without being overpowering. And using brown sugar rather than white, adds a subtle caramel flavour to the cake.
- Easy to make - there are no fancy steps - just a normal cake batter enriched with chopped apples and chestnuts. Even the topping is easily made by combining chopped walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Great for sharing - whether it's for afternoon tea with friends, a family treat or for taking along to a potluck or get-together, this cake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Recipe information
Prep time: About 20 minutes, which includes mixing the batter and chopping the chestnuts and apples.
Cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes at 175C / 350F.
Yield: A 9-inch diameter round cake. You could also bake this cake in a square or oblong loaf pan. The timing given in the recipe is for the 9" round cake; different-sized pans may take a longer or shorter time depending on how deep they are. Do not increase the heat to compensate, or the cake will burn on top before it is fully cooked.
Ingredients for an apple and chestnut cake
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
Cake batter
- Flour. This is plain or all-purpose flour. You could use self-raising flour instead and omit the baking powder.
- Baking powder. Mixed with the flour to help the cake to rise. Leave it out if you are using self-raising flour,
- Brown sugar. For sweetness and gives a slight caramel taste to the cake. Substitute with white sugar.
- Butter. This should be at room temperature so that it combines easily with the sugar.
- Eggs. The recipe calls for 3 large eggs, which weigh approximately 2 ounces or 60 grams each. If your eggs are very small you may need to use 4.
- Milk. You can use full-fat or semi-skimmed.
- Ground cinnamon. Cinnamon goes really well with apples. If you don't like it, leave it out or substitute with the same amount of Mixed Spice.
- Vanilla essence. Adds extra flavour.
- Salt. Optional and to your own taste - I think half a teaspoon of salt added with the flour improves the flavour of the cake.
Add-ins
- Chestnuts. These are ready-cooked and peeled chestnuts, readily available in supermarkets (in the UK at least), in a sealed pouch. I Googled it, and it appears that pre-cooked chestnuts are available from Walmart in the US.
- Apples. Use whatever apples you prefer. Just bear in mind that the sweeter the apples, the sweeter the cake will be. I like to peel the apples for this particular cake; you can leave the skin on if you prefer. The apples should be cored and cut into small (approximately half-inch or 1 centimetre) pieces.
Topping
- Walnuts. These should be chopped into small pieces. They will be combined with cinnamon and brown sugar and sprinkled over the top of the cake before it goes into the oven.
- Cinnamon and brown sugar. This is in addition to the cinnamon and brown sugar that goes into the cake batter.
Top tip
If you can find packets of walnut pieces (I got some from Sainsbury's but I'm sure other supermarkets stock them), you will find they are cheaper than buying whole walnuts.
Instructions
Cake batter
Step 1: Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. You can use an electric hand mixer to do this easily, or use a wooden spoon (works just as well, but takes a little longer).
Step 2: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence with the final egg.
Step 3: Whisk the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt) in a separate bowl. Fold them into the eggs alternately with the milk, stirring gently with a spatula to combine, between each addition.
Step 4: Finally, add the chopped apples and chestnuts. Fold them gently into the mixture until they are well combined.
Step 5: Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with baking parchment. Pour the cake batter evenly into the pan and smooth the top.
Step 6: Combine the chopped walnuts, cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl to form the topping. Sprinkle it evenly over the top of the cake.
Step 7: Bake in a preheated oven (175C / 350F) for 40 to 45 minutes. Check after 40 minutes by sticking a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out cleanly with no batter sticking to it, the cake will be ready.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure that your apple and chestnut cake always turns out perfectly:
- Preheat the oven before you start mixing the cake so the oven has plenty of time to come up to temperature.
- When creaming the butter and sugar, make sure your butter is at room temperature. Beat very well, and when you think it's ready, beat it for a minute longer!
- Once you have added the eggs, the mixture will look as though it has curdled. This is perfectly normal and will sort itself out once you add the flour.
- Fold the flour and milk into the batter with a spatula - don't use an electric mixer as this will overwork the batter.
- Fold in the apples and chestnuts gently so you don't overwork the batter.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake. It may look as though there is too much sugar, but this will all help to create the sweet, crunchy topping.
- Don't open the oven for the first 35 minutes, or the cake may sink.
- If the cake seems to be browning more on one side than the other (hot spot in the oven), turn the cake around so that it browns evenly.
- Test the cake with a toothpick after 40 minutes. If there is still batter sticking to the toothpick, bake for a further 5 minutes and test again.
Serving suggestions
This cake is perfect when simply sliced and served with a cup of tea or coffee. It also goes well with a glass of milk.
If you would like to turn it into a dessert, serve slices of the cake topped with either ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
I also like to serve it smothered in homemade vanilla custard.
Variations
- If you are not a lover of chestnuts, you can turn this recipe into an apple cake with walnuts and cinnamon by leaving the chestnuts out. Add an extra chopped apple to compensate.
- A handful of plump sultanas added with the apples and chestnuts makes a nice addition.
- If you don't have walnuts (for the topping), substitute them with chopped pecans or hazelnuts.
- I haven't tried it myself (yet), but I think this cake would work well when made with pears instead of apples. See this recipe for fresh pear cream slice.
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need for making this easy apple cake with chestnuts:
- Mixing bowl for mixing the batter.
- 9" diameter round springform pan. The closest equivalent would be an 8" square cake pan.
- Small bowl for combining the topping.
- Sharp knife and chopping board for chopping the apples, chestnuts and walnuts.
- Electric hand mixer for creaming the eggs and butter and beating in the eggs. If you don't have one, use a wooden spoon.
Storage
The apple and chestnut cake can be stored in an airtight container in the pantry for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can freeze the cake either whole or in slices.
- to freeze whole - wrap the cake in foil then place it in a large plastic bag. Freeze for up to three months.
- to freeze slices - slice the cooled cake into portions, then wrap each portion individually in foil and store them in a large freezer bag.
- to defrost - leave the whole cake or the slices to thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Slices will thaw faster than the whole cake!
- to warm (optional) - reheat slices gently in the microwave (10 to 15 seconds) or in a low oven (150C / 300F) for 10 minutes.
Note - the walnut topping will not be as crunchy once frozen and defrosted, but it will still taste good!
FAQ
Technically yes, but I haven't tried it, so I can't guarantee the results. Chestnut puree will change the texture of the cake, making it denser and more pudding-like, due to the extra moisture it contains. If using puree, add this to the mixture before adding the flour, then stir in the flour and just enough milk to make a thick cake batter.
Save for later
If you would like to make this autumn apple cake (whatever the season), why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my cakes, biscuits and dessert recipes for lots of other sweet bakes. Here are a few made with apples that you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Apple and chestnut cake with walnut topping
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Round springform pan 9" diameter
- Small bowl
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Electric hand mixer OR
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups / 280 grams plain or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- ¾ cup / 150 grams soft brown sugar
- ⅔ cup / 150 grams butter at room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- ⅔ cup / 150 ml milk
Add-ins
- 1 cup / 150 grams cooked chestnuts roughly chopped
- 3 medium apples peeled, cored and cut into small cubes
Topping
- ½ cup walnuts chopped into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons / 20 grams brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175°C/ 350°F
- Grease the sides of a 9" springform pan lightly with butter or oil and line the base with baking parchment.
- Prepare the apples, chestnuts and walnuts, and set aside until needed.1 cup / 150 grams cooked chestnuts, ½ cup walnuts, 3 medium apples
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffyy.¾ cup / 150 grams soft brown sugar, ⅔ cup / 150 grams butter
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Add the vanilla with the final egg.3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.2 cups / 280 grams plain or all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, alternating with the milk, mixing with a spatula, until just combined.⅔ cup / 150 ml milk
- Fold in the chopped chestnuts and apples.1 cup / 150 grams cooked chestnuts, 3 medium apples
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Combine the chopped walnuts, cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl.½ cup walnuts, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons / 20 grams brown sugar
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden and a wooden toothpick inserted into the cake comes out cleanly.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.
Notes
- Preheat the oven before you start mixing the cake so the oven has plenty of time to come up to temperature.
- When creaming the butter and sugar, make sure your butter is at room temperature. Beat very well, and when you think it's ready, beat it for a minute longer!
- Once you have added the eggs, the mixture will look as though it has curdled. This is perfectly normal and will sort itself out once you add the flour.
- Fold the flour and milk into the batter with a spatula - don't use an electric mixer as this will overwork the batter.
- Fold in the apples and chestnuts gently so you don't overwork the batter.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cake. It may look as though there is too much sugar, but this will all help to create the sweet, crunchy topping.
- Don't open the oven for the first 35 minutes, or the cake may sink.
- If the cake seems to be browning more on one side than the other (hot spot in the oven), turn the cake around so that it browns evenly.
- Test the cake with a toothpick after 40 minutes. If there is still batter sticking to the toothpick, bake for a further 5 minutes and test again.
- to freeze whole - wrap the cake in foil then place it in a large plastic bag. Freeze for up to three months.
- to freeze slices - slice the cooled cake into portions, then wrap each portion individually in foil and store them in a large freezer bag.
- to defrost - leave the whole cake or the slices to thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Slices will thaw faster than the whole cake!
- to warm (optional) - reheat slices gently in the microwave (10 to 15 seconds) or in a low oven (150C / 300F) for 10 minutes.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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